


Not Everything Gold is Valuable

by Inu_Sama



Series: True Blood [1]
Category: Queen of the Damned (2002), Southern Vampire Mysteries - Charlaine Harris, True Blood (TV), Vampire Chronicles - Anne Rice
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, F/M, M/M, Slow To Update, Stretching and Moulding History to Fit my Story
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-06
Updated: 2018-12-12
Packaged: 2019-07-07 20:04:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15915306
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Inu_Sama/pseuds/Inu_Sama
Summary: The Predator was Confident, Comfortable at the top. They shouldn't be, in Enkil's opinion, any number of Prey or Lesser Predator could easily sneak up and take their Place at any time.His own Hubris, though, he had yet to recognise, as few ever do before they Fall.





	1. The Land Between Rivers

_ Mesopotamia, the Land Between Rivers, the Beginning of All. _

_ Tiamat, his Mother, had always loved the flowers that grew on the Zagros Mountains. Whenever she awoke from Her millennial slumber, she would always gaze upon the fritillaria zagrica - or Dumping Tulips as the humans later called it - with a wondrous lilt to Her ageless mouth.  _

_ As the years dragged on and Her sleeps became longer and more frequent, the seemingly weak little things became Her only source of happiness. Eventually, not even seeing Her children build and grow and prosper the lands around them had garnered more than a sort of sad pity in Her eyes. Like they were still babes, frolicking in the Gardens, unable to see the wolf looming overhead. _

_ Still, like any good son, Enkil constructed a private meadow filled with the Flowers around Her and Father's resting place. So they would be the first bit of life she saw, if only so Enkil could see a little of that Spark in Her eyes again. It was fleeting, stuck beneath the heavy gaze of a tired mind and the bitterness of a life too long lived. But worth it in his own. _

_ Of course, it had been Her Power that had sent a Spark to the kindling known to Man as 'Earth'. She was the Mother of All Creation, however accidental they were. Before the almost negligent swipe of a hand made from the Stars themselves, Earth had been nothing but a ball of lifeless mud floating through the Aether. _

_ Then, the ball gained a Heart, a Lesser Star to warm its depths and harden its surface enough for things to grow. And grow, they did. Evolution was a wondrous subject to observe, how the Specks consumed the life force of their Lessers to change themselves, better themselves to consume even bigger, better prey. _

_ This Chain prevailed as the ultimate structure, no matter the 'species' nor the 'challenge'. Enkil had watched, for millennia upon millennia the vicious nature of the evolutionary 'animal'. It seemed, with each new generation, the Chain diversified while still retaining the same Core. Prey developed defenses, while Predator developed measures to overcome those defenses. And on it went.  _

_ The plantlife made an attempt at the Chain, as the animals had defined it. But, beyond a single carnivorous Trap, they failed. Insidious though the Trap was, it could not gain the needed momentum to overtake the Animals. So, for most animals who could not breach the gap to meat-eater, to Apex, the stationary Flora remained their Prey.  _

_ Enkil noticed, in his watchings, that even the lowest Link still evolved. The plantlife evolved to be more appetising, more appealing, so that they might spread their seed across the Lands through the animals that fed on them. _

_ The Prey found strength in numbers, as did some Predators, but not all. The Predator was Confident, Comfortable at the top. They shouldn't be, in Enkil's opinion, any number of Prey or Lesser Predator could easily sneak up and take their Place at any time.  _

_ The Smallest Prey learned to be quick and agile, to outrun their Fate rather than fight it. While the Smaller Still learned to hide themselves entirely. A worthy tactic, as only some Lesser Predators bothered with them anymore.  _

_ Though their Visages Evolved, they could not shed their Ancestry completely. One could see it in Leathery Skin, Feathers or Fur. In Mating Rituals and innate skills that had not left them from the time they were Smaller and Weaker or Bigger and Slower.  _

_ Despite all this Evolution, it was the First Humans who changed the Concept of the Chain in almost its entirety. Mother had been most entertained by the squabbling hairless Apes - the newest Visage in a long line of Evolutionary culmination. She looked down at them from Her perch on the Mountain as She had once the Flowers. So, of course, Enkil brought them to Her on Her next Rise. _

_ By then, the hairless Apes had evolved several times and became Humans. They developed Emotion, an imitation of the rarely seen Gods that Watched over them, he was sure. They wore Clothes and Shoes to protect them from the Elements, at least at first. Then it denoted Status and Wealth, Hierarchy. A less...violent way of Representing Predator and Prey.  _

_ That was not to say that Violence had ceased, no, not at all. This time, however, it was over individual differences in their own Kind that did not represent a Threat. Rather than for Sustenance or Territory. _

_ All Humans thought themselves at the Top of the Chain. Perhaps that was why they turned to fight amongst themselves? There was no other Threat to them as a Whole - as they had taken on an interesting mixture of both Predator in their destruction, and Prey in their insistence of Strength in Numbers mentality - so they made one. _

_ Things really started to Change when he brought some of the Chieftans to meet Mother, and for Her to meet them. He had underestimated their Concept of Greed, for it was theirs. Once they had perceived a Higher Power than themselves, they both sought to use it as a Spear and Shield in equal measures. They Blamed Mother for their own misdeeds, for the Plague in their Crops and the Disease in their bodies. _

_ Yet they used Her as a rallying point, slaughtering innocents in Her Name so they would not be held accountable. They used the Threat of Her to control the masses, many Cursing Her Name. It hurt Her, Enkil could see, and he felt intolerably Guilty for it. He learned the Concept of Consequences then, and the Butterfly Effect they could have. The Consequences for Introducing the Humans to Mother were far more Reaching than he could ever have foreseen. _

_ The Humans, as Short as their Lifespans were, Forgot Mother, Forgot the Truths of Her. Once Her presence had faded from their Stories, they made New Ones. Strangely, the New Ones gained corporeal Forms and became Lesser Gods to Mother and the Ever-slumbering Father and himself. _

_ In some half-recollected Story of Enkil himself, the First was named Enki, the God of the Earth. Enki was a Vain little thing, the Humans' Praise for his Parlour Tricks was a terrible Poison that Enkil had learned the hard way to Avoid. The Second was Marduk, the God of Storms, and Later Wrongly Named the King of Gods. He, too, was Naive and Confident, like the Previous Top Predators. He would be Toppled, just like all the others. _

_ Ishtar, the Goddess of Fertility, was the First Female of their Kind since Mother. Though she had none of Her grace and benevolence. She Preyed on the Weakness of the Flesh, causing Strife and Hatred and Misery wherever she went. Nanna, the God of Knowledge, filled the Humans' heads with nonsensical musings that could be Interpreted in such a way as to be Accurate only in Hindsight. (Later, when the God himself had gone, Oracles would take up the Mantle of Vague Advice to Supposedly Nudge Humans onto their Right Path.) _

_ Many more Gods and Goddesses Formed as the Humans' need for them arose. The New Ones did not Know of his presence, of his Watching. They Assumed they were the Top of the Chain, an immeasurable step above the Humans. Such Hubris was a common occurrence, Enkil was finding. So formed the Sumerian Pantheon. Mother stayed Sleeping, Her Will diminished further by Her only True Son's Naivety and the Humans' Greed. _

_ Enkil was leery of making Contact with the New Ones, he may be TrueBorn, but they were Many and they were Confident. He was not sure what he would do, once he made Contact. The Humans would see him as another Deity to trap in their little machinations, nothing more than a Puppet. There was too much Darkness in their Hearts for him to stomach, now that he knew of their Insidious little Ideals and Abilities. _

_ The New Ones would see him as a Threat, and they were Enemies he did not know how to Fight. He somehow thought his time Watching the Fights of animals would not help him Defeat the Lesser Gods. So he Watched from the Shadows, he waited for Her to Wake again - long resigned as he was to never seeing Father again, as the only reason his Form was Here was because Mother had wanted to Watch too. _

_ The Choice was, unfortunately, not his to make. The Humans had expanded their Territories to include the Mountains, which of course, brought their Pet Gods. He Watched from Mother's side as they trampled Her flowers without care, without thought. This was the Flaw of Hubris, he thought. They did not take Care with things they should not Disturb, that they should not Take, that they should not Destroy. _

_ He Wished for them to Topple, despite how he knew that every incarnate henceforth since the Humans had been worse than the last. The New Ones were proof of that. However, he did not expect Father to Heed his Call. Father was as Powerful as Mother, if not more so. Perhaps He had sensed the Danger too, as He had not arisen before when Enkil had Called. _

_ He had been right, the New Ones had taken their presence as a Challenge and drew First Blood. Enkil had never 'bled' before, he had never felt physical Pain before then. He did not like it. Neither did Father. Many of the New Ones perished that Day. Though the most devious and vengeful of them had escaped. Enkil could Foresee another Confrontation, Father could not. He went to Sleep after seeing to His Son's 'injuries', His brilliant Light easily Healing the damage with no more than a gentle glide of bronzed fingers, much like his own. _

_ It took Decades, but the Second Confrontation did Occur. Father did not Wake to take care of the Threat. Enkil Protected his parents as well as he could, but as Father Lay, Dead in his Resting Place and Mother not too far along, Enkil was banished from the Zagros Mountains. He was flung by the King of Gods into the Lands West. Into Kemet. _

_ Distraught and Weakened from his First Fight, Enkil could do no more than Shake as another New One presented herself. After being given refuge from the harsh Light of the Dying Star and Time to Slumber, Enkil found himself Fascinated with the New One of Kemet. She was Kind and Considerate in a way the New Ones of his Homeland were not. It was a Balm to his Grief and Anger and Loss. _

_ Because of their Hubris, this World had Lost their True Gods, he the only one that Remains, his LifeForce a Stubborn Star that refused to be Snuffed. He Joined with the New One of Kemet, Ruled over her People with her. He Prepared, he Evolved, much like he had Watched Others do, and when he was Ready, his Wife wanted to Support him. _

_ He found the Despised New Ones Feeding from Mother, sucking her Light from her to make themselves more Powerful. It had been a process he had Watched in one way or another since Creation, but now he was not so indifferent. Not only had he Lived with the Humans of Kemet, he had been broken down by his Grief and his Anger into a different being, a Darker being. With a Roar that was more deep Thunder than Voice, he Attacked. _

_ But his own Hubris, he had yet to recognise, as few ever do before they Fall. He should have known New Ones could not be trusted, even the Ones from different Lands. His Wife, the Betrayer, colluded with the Sumerian Pantheon to capture the Last of the True Gods. To Consume, as so many had before, and many more will in the future, the Power of Someone Greater than themselves. _

_ Once Marduk and Enki had finally Snuffed out the last vestiges of Light in Mother - that Enkil had spent most of his Life preserving - Enkil's mind, body and soul were forever twisted into Darkness. His being was Defiled by the Foul Magic that had corrupted his wife, Akasha, Long Before they had Met. She had not been Borne of Stories and Need like the others, but of Revenge and Darkness. _

_ He was Broken Down and Remade into her Image, and Unwilling Transition that brought nothing but Pain for him. Akasha took him 'Home' when he was no longer a Threat to the Pantheon, deeming him her Pet, now that he had been changed. Mind in a Haze, they went on a Rampage. Together they were Fast and Strong, together they were Destruction, they were retribution, they were cruelty, they were passion. Together, they were Beautiful. _

_ Eventually, as all things do, the Haze came to an End and Enkil saw how much Grief and Heartache and Loss he had Created. The same the Despised New Ones had wrought upon him, though his was not of Fear, his was of 'Simply because he could' and that was Worse. It meant he thought himself on the Top of the Chain, he would also be Toppled. After what he'd done, he was looking forward to the Punishment.  _

_ Though it seemed he was too Powerful by Nature for the Humans to dish it out, just as Akasha could not as she saw nothing wrong with what they were doing. Once he'd come to his Senses, he stopped feeding on the tiny Lights of the Humans. He turned, slowly but surely, to Stone, blending into the Marble Throne the Humans had built for him, a matching one for his Wife sat next to him. It remained Empty for some time, until Akasha could not go on without him. _

_ They had too many deaths to their Names, he would accept any form of Punishment. If he could not Die, he would Sleep, he would Starve. _


	2. The Call

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ***** means change in scene not POV

**_~Enkil~_ **

She thought she could kill me.

It was laudable how arrogant my wife still was after all these years. Had she not been listening? Did she not know? For all her cunning, did she not realise the world had changed far too much for her to drain her way through the little bloodbags without consequence? Like she had in their own time?

For all that they were stone, the rest I had envisioned had been an impossible achievement. Instead we were left in a voided in between. I Knew. I Heard. I was aware of the aging world above me and how much had changed since I'd exiled myself. But I could not gaze upon it myself, I could not blink, I could not move, I could not feed. Though there were certain developments that soothed the disorientation of not having control of my body, of being aware but immovable.

Much to my delight, the New Ones had perished, their humans no longer needed them, no longer believed. The world was too old for such things as fairy tales. I did not know if I would have succumbed to the same fate if not for my...transition.

I had never needed patrons like the New Ones did. Though, I could have been using the ambient Power my parents shed to fuel my existence. I would never know, because now I was a being of Darkness. There would always be a place for me here.

The humans made sure of it.

Another I knew of were the Fate of my and Akasha's Line. The Darkness mutated, evolved as everything else did, into a better - albeitweaker - version of itself. It seemed they traded in abilities like flying and bending the laws of physics to blend in with their prey better. Only a few retained the ability to Fly, passing down into one Line through Maker and Childe.

They also gained weaknesses. The Light of the Dying Star had never hindered both Akasha and myself, we were too Powerful for that, too Pure, as it were. But these mutated fledglings...they had the ability to Die, an enviable trait of those who could not, just as the Fledglings envied the Humans for their rich lives, short as they were.

One of my Childes had remained by our side, protecting the liquid gold that ran through our veins, moving us from one place to another to avoid detection. I was grateful, for I shuddered to think what would have happened to any fledgling that drank from such a Pure well of Power as greedily as I thought they might. They did come from humans, after all.

Once for every Millenium my Childe served us, I rewarded him with a mouthful of that which he stayed to protect. My Childe was appropriately grateful. Akasha had stayed quiet through all this, never offering herself, never moving as we sometimes could.

At least, until she found her newest Pet. The foolish little fledgling did not know what she was, what she was capable of. Our story had been purposefully lost to time for all but a few.

My Childe's way of protecting us. Even if the history of their origins would benefit the fledglings, to be wary of the Wolf that loomed over them. But, as they were not, the French fledgling fell into my wife's trap.

Once one of their Kind had a taste of the First Ones, as my Childe called us, they could be tracked, their mind influenced much more directly than the weak connection they had to us through Maker and Childe. The Power the fledgling gained would be his undoing, as it was not his and would never be his to Command. It was Akasha's.

Thus brought me to the now. Akasha was gone, her Pet had finally Called for her - though I was certain it was not an intended development. She, the Betrayer, had killed our Childe and tried to kill me. She awoke to pursue that little French fledgling so that she would once again have a partner to wreak havoc upon the world with. I would need to stop her, before she succeeded.

But I was bound in stone, and now wounded, with no one to know I needed healing. So, I Called. I Called to all those of my Blood, however faint the connection may be. I sent it far and wide, across continents and oceans and islands alike. I had learned long ago that my Childe, the protector, had been the last true descendant of our Line, the last undiluted source. Now he, too, was gone. I would need to search through all the fleeting bonds I could still feel that connected me to the fledglings. They were in danger and I needed aid.

I hoped, like my Father had all those years ago, someone would come.

 

**~Erik~**

My eyes snapped open, the remnants of a voice like thunder still slithering through my mind. It'd been a long time since I'd been Called, and it wasn't Godric. I couldn't help but feel a little disappointed at that, like I was every time I checked the bond we shared, only to find it still closed off.

"Pam! Get up! We need to go!" I shouted, sure she would hear me through her Death Sleep, as I fled up the ladder and into the dark house. It was an hour or so until sunset, but if the voice I heard was telling the truth, we didn't have the time to diddle daddle. I refused to admit that I'd just used 'diddle daddle' in a sentence, straight-faced.

I rushed through a shower and had a warm cup of O-negative waiting for my progeny by the time she crawled out of her cushy bed. Her silk pink pj's were creased and her hair a mussed mess. I smiled a little at the sight - a sight only I was ever privy to. Pamela was a stickler for presentation.

"What do you mean 'we have to go!' who shoved a silver rod up your ass?" She grumbled in her usual monotone drawl, blinking tiredly up at me as I handed her the mug. She scowled down at it, but obediently drank her 'breakfast'. We wouldn't have time to hunt, so blood bags it was. I grimaced at my own mug, the plastic-y taste and artificial warmth were not pleasant.

We were beings that needed it straight from the vein, nothing else compared.

"I have been Called, Pam. We need to get to Venice." I explained once we were finished, dumping the empty mugs into the sink for the day cleaner to deal with(He was glamoured not to balk at the blood of course). I no doubt had an excited glint in my eyes that Pamela hadn't seen in a long time, since my Maker abandoned us.

"Godric?" She asked, uncharacteristically tentative. After all, she was the reason my maker's bond was closed to me. Pam knew it brought me a great deal of pain to talk about it. And she loved me, I was sure. Even if her shrivelled dead heart would make other people believe her incapable. I shook my head, making a concerted effort not to flinch.

"No, it wasn't him. But it was someone older, He said that we're all in danger. We need to go to Him." Pam looked sceptical, but then, she hadn't heard the sheer power in the voice. It rolled through the words He spoke like thunder, an undercurrent that made it sound otherworldly. It had a faint accent I couldn't place, but I would guess somewhere in the Middle East.

It was old. I was powerless to resist going to Him, even if I wanted to. Then Pam did a double-take, which, to anyone else would only be the widening of her eyes.

"Did you just say Him with a capital H?" She hissed incredulously. I couldn't blame her, I was Erik Northman, the Viking. I was one of the oldest living vampires in the world. It was a big deal for me to immediately defer to some unknown voice I had only heard once.

"Yes, now go book those flights! We need to leave now! "

*****

 _'Ah, the perks of being one of the wealthiest people in the world~'_ I thought as I beckoned a particularly delicious looking morsel over to me, tapping her vein after glamouring her. We were on one of my private jets, on our way to Venice. Pamela was doing crossword puzzles of all things on an old newspaper she found in the back, switching between that and looking for shoes to buy.

I winced at the hit my credit card would take. She had not been happy at being woken up so early and without time to get a proper meal. She usually started the day with a good fuck-and-feed before she had to open up Fangtasia and deal with 'all the filthy little fleshies' that waited with bated breath at our door every night.

I was an astute businessman and not at all above taking advantage of the desperate horny humans, but even I didn't like the way they fawned all over my Kind(even if they didn't know what we were, humans would always love Vampires). How they wanted to touch and feel and grab and taste. Even when I kicked them off and growled and hissed at them in warning(making sure not to use my real strength), they only took it as some strange kind of foreplay. I shuddered just thinking about it.

The cunt currently sitting on the Louisiana Throne liked the bank I was rolling in for her too much to allow me to leave, despite the fact that Pam's punishment had ended over a decade ago. I was brought out of my thoughts when the morsel groaned weakly and I quickly unlatched and let her fall to the floor.

 _'Phew, that was close,'_ I thought with slight panic. One more pull and I'd be dragged into her death. It was a good thing she was just some street rat Pam had picked up 'for a snack' otherwise I'd be in trouble. Pam unknowingly agreed with my thoughts when she chastised me for my carelessness.

"Really, Maker, have a care when draining these useless fleshies. If you meet the True Death, who the hell is gonna pay for my wardrobe? Jimmy Choo: Summer Rain comes out next fall and I ain't missin' out!" She hissed, though we both knew she was only teasing. I could feel it through the bond. Well, half teasing.

I had the strong urge to hide all my cards from her, those new shoes would probably cost an arm and a leg - most likely mine. But I couldn't help but spoil my only Childe, as Godric had once done for me. Plus, it wasn't like I couldn't afford it. The plane touched down at the private runway I'd designed specifically for me, the big metal bird gliding smoothly into the light tight warehouse.

It was a few hours yet till sunrise so we had time to try and find the one that had Called me here. I thanked the young Vampire who'd piloted the plane when our bags were put into the trunk of a mercedes, the rental car we would use to get our stuff to a hotel. We could Fly when we went out looking for Him. I eyed the tinted windows with a smile, tapping a knuckle against them for good measure before sliding into the driver seat.

I continually marvelled - if only privately - at the humans' ability to adapt the environment around them to suit their needs. They were, aside from their supernatural counterparts, the only species to do so thoroughly. I started the engine, a low purr that spoke of high quality parts, when a bored and tired Pam slid in next to me. She was playing angry birds on her phone now.

The night staff for all the Vampire catered businesses were all undead, the trusted humans working during the day because of their diurnal rhythms. It was also a safety precaution for the little fleshies, in case someone was stupid enough to cut themselves near any hungry vampires. The hotel we were staying in had similar professional sensibilities, none of the rare fleshies fawning over me like they did at Fangtasia. For that, I was grateful.

It wasn't until three days later that I heard Him again, so much stronger than before. We must be close. I decided to let Pamela sleep a little longer as I rushed through my nightly routine and flew out the french balcony doors after making sure no prying eyes were watching.

 **_~Come to me, Children. You are all in grave Danger, I need your aid to defeat a terrible evil that has been unleashed upon this world.~_ ** it was the same message as before and I - now that I was in the same city - could feel a faint tug in my chest cavity, where my heart rested, though it no longer beat. I turned to the West, flying forward a few blocks, hoping to feel that tug again.

I wasn't disappointed. I was taken right a few miles until I reached an abandoned plantation house. Though the impeccable upkeep of the place would have fooled most people, I knew it was abandoned by the still and lifeless air around it, the scents old and long gone. The tug, almost an unbearable fire in my lungs now, stopped abruptly and I was left truly winded for the first time in a thousand years.

I dropped to the ground, landing on my feet lithe as a cat and sped towards the entrance. I texted Pamela to meet me, knowing that she should be up by now, and waited for her in the foyer. The tug started up again, pulling me downwards, when my progeny arrived.

"So this is where the creepy voice of an old as dirt vampire you don't know, led you to?"

I raised an eyebrow at her choice of words, after all, I was 'old as dirt' compared to her.

"That's not very nice, Pamela. He might be aware enough to hear you." I chastised lightly, though I knew for a fact that if He could send out a Call that far out that even I could hear it loud as if He were standing right next to me, then He was definitely aware enough to hear Pam's insults.

My progeny just lifted a perfect blonde brow of her own.

"I just hope you're not getting catfished here, Maker. This could be a trap, y'know." I nodded, she had a point. Though I didn't think that was the case as a rumbling growl echoed through both of our minds in protest, sounding as if a great beast was looming over us. Pam shivered in fear and I could feel the remorse through the bond. I struggled to suppress my own shiver, though it was for entirely different reasons. I'd always had a kink for displays of dominance.

That was why it was rare for me to take a fleshie to bed, beyond the standard fuck-and-feed, that is. They couldn't play at being Predator even if they tried, too soft and weak to be anything but eager Prey. There was also a limited number of Vampires that could dominate someone as old as me and they were either douchebags or too much of a parental figure for me to even think about going there. Though I should probably stop thinking about that sort of thing, if this vampire had a direct link to my mind. I might inadvertently insult Him with my less than appropriate thoughts.

"Pamela, look around the house for hidden latches, doorways or staircases leading down." I ordered, making sure not to use my Maker's Voice, as that was only ever a last resort if I couldn't get through to her. She threw a rude gesture at me, the cheeky little Childe, but did as I asked.

It took us the better part of an hour to find it, but Pam was able to point out a suspicious looking circle in the stone by the corner of the master bedroom. It had the Egyptian eye of Ra carved into its surface, which popped out when I ran my fingers over it. Sharing a bemused look with my progeny, I pushed it. A crease in the tapestry on the wall in front of us creaked and a cold breeze met our skin. Pamela shrugged when I raised my eyebrows.

" _You're_ the thousand year old Viking, _Erikir_ , _you_ go first." She teased, as if she were amused at my apprehension, as if she wasn't even more afraid of what we were going to find than I was. I huffed and pushed my way into a dark stone hallway before the dread in my gut could creep into my veins and make my fingers numb. The hallway led out into a large circular room lit by torches at regular intervals.

"Well shit." Pam whistled, impressed by all the golden Egyptian memorabilia that glinted in the firelight. It was genuine artefacts thought to be lost, some of the very first ones to ever be recorded. I agreed, this was an impressive display.

"So I guess this dude's older than the oldest dirt, huh?" My sassy progeny drawled, eyeing the inky pools that lined the pathway we walked on. At the back of the room, in the center on a raised dais were two marble thrones. One of them was empty and cracked while the other…

 _"Oh my god!"_ Pamela gasped quietly, the sound getting choked off like she was trying to reign in her reaction. There, on the left throne, was a statue of a handsome young man with his neck half ripped away and a grimace of pain on his smooth face. It looked like someone had tried to bite his head off, bits of stone and dust laid at the foot of the throne. Likely the chunks of missing flesh from his neck. The carved eyes seemed to glint a hard silver in the low light as they stared unseeingly, right through us.

 **_~At last, someone has come.~_ ** The deep voice from my dreams rumbled, the ethereal undertones making Pam shiver again and take a step back.

"It's good to know you have some self-preservation after all." I snarked, throwing an arm around her shoulders and pulling her close in an effort to comfort her as I pressed a light kiss to her temple. My progeny visibly relaxed.

Pamela snorted then and pushed me away, the momentary lapse in her armour firmly reforged with extra studs.

"I'm fine." She insisted, though I noticed she kept me between her and the statue, who was probably a starved and very old vampire. I didn't blame her, I would feel the same if I had an ounce of self-preservation myself. Instead I found it a turn on to have that voice caress my ears. A displeased sound echoed through our minds and I turned back to the statue.

 ** _~Do not be afraid, my childe. You will not be harmed, I seek to snuff out only one Dark Spark in this world and you are not Her.~_** The voice reassured gently, sounding genuinely regretful for Pam's reaction. Pamela raised her eyebrows incredulously at me before turning it on the statue.

"Thanks? I guess?" She muttered, earning a husky laugh from the ancient being in front of us that went straight to my no-no spot. The dude was a fucking statue and I was still getting all hot and bothered? I needed to get laid, and _bad_.

 **_~You are most welcome,_ _hamamatan saghira_ _~_ ** The being said fondly and Pam looked to me for a translation. I smiled and murmured;

"It means Little Dove in Arabic." then something snagged in my mind and I tilted my head to the side, trying to figure it out. There was something familiar about all this; the egyptian themes, the fact that clearly this creature was a lot older than me to have desiccated so much that he _turned to stone_ ….then the pieces fell into place and I felt my mouth fall open in shock.

"You're the First One, aren't you? The first ever Vampire?" I couldn't help but ask, feeling through the bond that Pam was mostly confused with a little more fear than before. She knew, just as well as I did, that the older the vampire, the stronger it was. If He was the first… I shivered. I remembered Godric telling me the story of the First Ones, a story that was passed down through his own Maker and the Maker before that. But I'd thought it was just that; a story.

I couldn't believe….no, I could. I had often wondered how we came to be...like this. Now I had living proof of just how old my people were, hopefully I could get the full story from the statue in front of me.

 **_~No, I am the Second. My wife was the first.~_ ** The voice answered blithely. But before we could chew on that bit of information, a crack resounded throughout the large room, reverberating on the high stone ceilings. The flames flickered dangerously before settling again as the creature let out a groan of pain.

 **_~I apologise, but I am running out of time. I need to feed. You let me feed, you let me break from my prison and I will reward you.~_ ** The voice pleaded, making Pamela pale dramatically. I rolled my eyes when I was shoved towards the other Vampire from behind, but I got the message. My progeny would probably offer me up to the literal wolves if it would save her getting her designer shoes dirty. I sped to the vamp's side and ran a pointed nail down the inside of my wrist.

I held it up to the handsome face and watched in fascination as the stone shifted, little by little until the mouth was open and fangs visible. Without much fanfare, I pushed the bleeding appendage into the waiting mouth and gasped when fangs that were decidedly _not_ stone, latched onto my skin. Hard stone hands rose to grip me in place, the strength of the wounded vampire was still so astronomical compared to my own. I couldn't move even if I wanted to. This vampire could drain me completely dry and I wouldn't be able to do anything about it, wouldn't be able to fight him off. That realisation sent a thrill down my spine.

Pam and I watched in shock as the neck reformed, bit by bit until it was whole. Mouthful after greedy mouthful was taken and I was starting to feel the drain when the hands holding me turned soft and fleshy. A moan caught my attention and I looked down to see a bronze coloured young man sitting in place of the statue. The gold jewlery all Kings of Egypt wore jingled lightly and glinted in the firelight.

Long dark hair broke away from the throne and fell over one shoulder, brushing my outstretched arm. It was feather-soft. Just when I thought I was going to pass out, a hot tongue glided across the small puncture wounds and they closed up, completely healed.

"Thank you, Darkling, for the offering. I am healed now, so you may take your reward." The ethereal voice we'd heard before sounded different, toned down in the flesh. But it was no less mesmerising. A slender bronze wrist was presented to me and I swallowed, hesitating even as fatigue pulled at me.

"It is alright, your blood was rich for a fledgling. It is the least I can do." The creature prompted, fangs still pointing just slightly out of thick lips. I decided to ignore the 'fledgling' bit, considering just who this was - and stooped down onto my knees and gently took his wrist. The skin beneath was burning compared to my own ice cold fingers. My eyes flickered to a gobsmacked Pam and then got trapped in bright green eyes that were only enhanced by the colour of his skin.

"Drink, Viking, take your reward." Was whispered softly to my ear before the being kissed my forehead and smoothed my hair back, similar to what I'd done for Pamela earlier. I dropped fang, much to the curiosity of the Father of all Vampires and bit into the offered flesh. The blood that filled my mouth was a million times richer and Darker than Godric's, than my own Maker's that I couldn't help but pull away after that first mouthful.

I licked my lips, chasing after the last drops of that amazing blood, my eyes snapping up to meet amused ones. The wound was already healed. Sharp nails scratched gently through my hair, making a purr of approval slip from between my ribs before I could stop it. Pam took in a sharp breath at the noise, probably never having heard it so full of desire before. The being smiled.

"It pleases me that you are not greedy. It was the humans you hail from that invented the concept of Greed. It was they that spread Darkness and Misery into this world, that turned on their own for foolish _insignificant_ ideals." The being gazed at me with bitter sadness in his eyes and my breath caught.

"It was they that brought the True Gods to their knees , that turned the last of them into the Monster you see before you." he admitted quietly, a curl to his top lip in a small snarl as memories danced behind his eyes, flashing silver in the light. That was when I realised that the Father of All Vampires had never been human in the first place, that he was a descendant of a literal _God_. I hadn't much believed in religion, considering most of them called my very existence blasphemy. But now….

 

**~Enkil~**

I watched in some amusement as the fledgling leant into my touch, even as he reevaluated everything he knew about our history. It was a good sign that the fledglings weren't too mutated to not recognise me as their Creator, of a sorts.

I carded my fingers through the short blond locks, eliciting a purr from the creature called a 'vampire' and thought about how I was their King. King of the Vampires. It didn't have the same ring to it as Marduk's title once had, but the New Ones were gone, perished from this plane.

Though not without leaving pieces of themselves, in the form of these so called 'shifters' and 'fae' and 'witches' that plagued this mortal realm. As they themselves were innocent to an extent, I would not purge them, just as I would not the humans. However, if their origins were not their only crime, I would not hesitate to crush them.

My attention snapped to the Little Dove, who had approached my throne once she saw how relaxed her Maker was. I smiled pleasantly at her and reached out. With some consideration for pride that took a shorter amount of time than I would have guessed, the Dove eventually copied her Maker and kneeled to be petted.

I let out a pleased rumble at her respect and watched her tense and then relax fully. I leaned over and placed an affectionate kiss on her forehead, silently whispering the same protections as I had for the one known as 'The Viking'. I felt a stronger connection rise from the ashes of the old one, now that I and the Maker had shared blood. They were my blood, my kin, I would protect them, reawaken the gifts that had been diluted or outright shed by evolution and time.

They deserved that and more for being the only ones to answer my Call.

"Come, Little Dove, My Viking, we have an evil to purge." I said lightly, bouncing up from my throne and appearing at the entrance with little more than the almost silent rustle of fabric.

"Who we stakin'?" the Dove asked, her confidence returned in the wake of my acceptance. I smirked down at her, noticing with amusement and wonder that while I towered over Pamela, I was still much shorter than the Viking.

I swished my fingers through my long black hair, leaving a neat braid in their wake as my magic manipulated the soft strands. I missed their shocked expressions at the easy display of power as I tied the braid off with a piece of conjured leather. It thumped comfortingly against my back when I let it go. I felt light and refreshed after so long in the stone, I couldn't help but feel giddy.

"Why, my wife, of course." I gave them both a toothy grin and then disappeared, up to the main entrance of the plantation house Marius, the protective Childe, had bought to house us.


	3. StoryTime

**_~Enkil~_ **

I had an approximate location of my darling wife, her master plan to consume me had left her vulnerable to my attention. The blood she had forcibly taken was not hers, nor will it ever be. For it was mine. 

But I didn't want to be too hasty, I had not experienced the world and how to move within it for over six thousand years. I would need a moment to adjust to feeling the air on my skin, to smelling the far off rain clouds, feel the earth beneath my bare feet and to see the stars twinkling down at me.

It wasn't long before the fledglings joined me. I breathed it all in, wriggling my toes into the soft earth as I lifted my arms to stretch out my stiff body. It was not unlike waking up from a nap. My golden Tuq shifted slightly on my chest as the sawar(bangles) on each of my wrists jingled and slid up my forearms. I let out a breath and dropped my arms, eyes never leaving the sky.

"It is somewhat comforting that, no matter how this realm ages, the Stars remain unchanged." I admitted quietly, feeling the little Dove step up to my side as her Maker appeared in front of me. 

"So? How're we gonna find the bitch?" The little Dove, Pamela, asked with one perfectly shaped brow raised. I stared at her, curious as to her choice of words. I was not aware of any fledglings meeting Akasha besides the Frenchling to have already fostered so much hate. 

"What? She tried to kill you, that makes her #1 on my shitlist!" Pam stated, defensive as she crossed her arms. She was adorable. A small smile curled my lips as I ran bronze fingers through her silky blonde locks.

"Little Darklings such as yourself may not have experienced it, but Akasha took my  _ blood _ ." I looked to the Viking to find recognition and a flash of fear before it was replaced with desire. Yes, I knew of the Viking's wishes and it amused me, even if it did not surprise me. I was aware of the allure my blood and Power would have on one so young. 

Still, I did not have time to tease the little fledgling. I had to take care of my wife before I could see how far the Viking was willing to go, what exactly he wanted from me. I turned back to Pam.

"Rest assured, I will forever be able to find Akasha, no matter what hole she escapes into with her  _ Frenchling _ ." I couldn't help but sneer that last word, much to the surprise of my companions. 

" _ 'Frenchling' _ ?" Erikir asked, amused even as I knew his attention was straying to my fangs. Fangs that couldn't retract like theirs could, I wondered why they had developed that trait. Was it to better blend into their surroundings? Among the humans? Or was it something else.

"Her little Pet. Him Calling her started all this." I waved a negligent hand, refusing to think too much on the stupidity of instinct-disregarding fledglings that knew nothing of the world and the dangers that had lurked under their feet for six thousand years. 

"It is not important right now." I insisted when it looked like Pamela wanted to know more. I huffed and shook my head, bouncing on my toes a few times before launching into the air, my skirts a billowing white cloud around my legs as the wind bit at the fabric. 

"I assume you are of the last Line of fledglings that retained the ability to fly, yes?" I inquired/teased as I leant back in the air until I was horizontal, my arms spread out before I flipped rightways again when I felt the Viking join me. Erikir smirked, his own clothing form fitting enough that the wind could not get hold.

"You would be correct in that Mr….?" Erikir trailed off leadingly, and I realised I hadn't yet given my name. I couldn't be blamed for letting it slip my mind as it had been a long time since I had need of talking, especially to someone who did not already know who I was. 

"Enkil, son of Tiamat and Halmati, the Mother and Father of all Creation." I smirked when the Viking dropped a few feet in shock, his mouth parted as he stared at me with wide eyes.

It made him look somewhat innocent, an attribute he had not yet exhibited and I found such an expression endearing. Pamela, I noticed, had a similar look as she drifted next to her Maker after finally making her way into the sky. 

"Oh. My. God--" she snorted, " _ Literally _ ," Her Maker made a choking noise from beside her and she smirked. Oh she likely knew of her Maker's little kink, being in the presence of a literal god was probably like catnip to him. Having seen his mind, I was honestly surprised he was still able to string sentences together coherently.

"Where are you staying? I wish to get my bearings before going after Akasha." I inquired, I may be 'old as dirt' by Pamela's standards, but I knew that Venice was not the fledgling's normal den. Merely a temporary resting place, hence the words 'staying' and not 'living'. The Viking looked surprised but acquiesced, taking off in the direction the sun always rose. 

It did not take long for the fledglings to touchdown on a sizable balcony, I floated down onto the cold iron railing next to them so I could twist around to get a good look at how the world had changed.

"If you keep standing out there like that, the neighbours are gonna get suspicious." The Viking teased and I hummed, allowing a pale hand to guide me inside. Pamela thrust a pile of clothes at me with a disgruntled expression aimed at her Maker.

"Because express delivery apparently  _ does not exist anymore _ , you'll have to wear Erik's clothes--which he is stupidly proud of by the way--" Erik spluttered and hissed a whiny sounding  _ 'Paaaaam!' _ at the now smirking blonde. 

"I can show you to the shower if you like?" The little Darkling offered sweetly, ignoring the mortified groaning of her Maker like it were a regular occurance. I laughed, rich and deep. Oh I was glad these two had found me, they were proving to be endlessly entertaining.

"Please do, my devious little dove. Before the Viking recovers enough to retaliate."

We left the humiliated Viking in the parlor, Pamela thoughtfully teaching me how to operate the water closet before closing the door, leaving me in privacy. I removed the various gold pieces from my person and placed them carefully on the marble counter. In truth, I knew quite a lot about the world from my watching through eyes of stone - but I had never  _ experienced  _ any of it. And I found myself excited to try.

I untied the knot at my waist and let my skirts fall to the tiled floor. I stepped into the water closet and let the scalding water cascade over me, pulling my hair from its temporary confines to wash it. I found the act of lathering myself in soft-smelling soaps soothing, the scents of earth and pine needles and rain had been captured in a  _ bottle  _ of all things! It was simply marvelous! Eventually, I rinsed myself off and cut the water lest it be wasted. 

'Jeans' were another thing I got to experience, as was 'underwear' - though I may never have worn such things in my time, I wasn't stupid and so dressing wasn't a hassle. I debated whether or not to put my  _ mojawharat(jewelry)  _ back on but ultimately decided against it, there was no doubt I would stand out wearing such old pieces. 

Instead I conjured a fine leather bag with a wave of my hand and slipped them inside for safe keeping. Despite not being born into it, I had been a king for many years and felt the need to hold onto such relics. Those pieces in the chamber were not as important to me, maybe I would give them to the fledglings to either keep or sell.

When I emerged from the bathroom wearing tight jeans and a white v-neck, the fledglings were waiting for me. The Viking seemed to choke on something and resolutely refused to look at me, much to both Pam's and my amusement. After a moment Erik pulled himself together and leaned against the kitchen island, three cups of blood in front of him.

"So, where is 'Akasha' now?" He asked, motioning with a hand for the beverages to be taken. Pam looked suspect at her mug, but Erikir murmured that it was fresh this time, straight from the vein. She partook after that, humming in pleasure at the taste. I myself had a sip, to try it, but ultimately it provided so little sustenance that I would have to drain entire villages just to even  _ think  _ about feeling full. At their questioning looks, I wrinkled my nose and pulled the mug away from my face.

"It is not rich enough, I would have to drain hundreds just to gain what I need." I paused, disappointed - though I knew already that humans' Lights were mere wisps of Power. That was why Akasha and I had needed to tear through the neighbouring countries, killing thousands at a time.

"I would need  _ your  _ blood, Viking, or someone older, in order to be satisfied." I admitted quietly, gently placing the mug down on the island and sliding it toward the little dove who took it eagerly, clearly hungry.

"But, to answer your question," I continued in a louder voice before the other could respond. It would always be up to the fledgling if he wished to let me partake of his blood. The magic in his blood may have come from me, but it was still Erik's in the end.

"She is somewhere in Albion-- _ England _ , my apologies, nearest the capital." I had no idea why she had skipped so many countries to start her bloodbath - perhaps that was where the Frenchling had Called from? My blood would have given her the strength to fly there, surely.

"How the hell is her murder spree not all over the news then?" Pam asked incredulously, moving to the living area to flip through the channels on the television in search of evidence. I agree with Pam that something like that would probably get international coverage. Erik downed his own mug of blood in one or two gulps and then rinsed the cup, grimacing at the taste. That intrigued me, could it be that I had ruined the poor Darkling's diet with my rich blood?

"It is likely that my blood gave her the ability to fly straight to her Pet, bypassing any potential….casualties." I offered delicately, following Pam to the living area(though we were not living) and smiled at her when she offered me a seat.

"I have been sitting for more than six thousand years,  _ Hamama _ . I think I will stand for now." I said, coming to stand behind her from where she sat on the couch with her legs crossed one over the other. I ran my fingers through her hair a few times to straighten it out before twisting the silky blonde strands into an elaborate braid that I weaved Dumping Tulips through before securing it with magic. Pamela tilted her head back to smile at me, clearly pleased with the affection I was giving her.

"Why Dumping Tulips?" Erik asked, settling in an armchair adjacent to the couch, one long leg stretched over the arm. He watched me with interest when I migrated to the back of his chair, purring when I started scratching my nails through his scalp lightly in a set pattern. 

I found that after so long, I was craving physical touch - and I knew that neither of my new companions were likely to initiate it. I was essentially their God after all, though I was happy that they so easily accepted what I gave them. They were mine after all, mine to protect and mine to nurture. That also meant that I could be honest with them, that I could talk about my past without being ridiculed like I would have with Akasha.

"They were my mother's favourites - they grew in abundance on the Zagros Mountains in Mesopotamia." I paused, a small smile curling my lips as the memory of her played in my mind. I decided to share it with them, my smile growing at their shocked gasps when I planted the memory directly into their minds. My mother had bronze skin like mine, but with long wavy white hair and bright sky blue eyes that seemed to capture the world in them.

"She's beautiful…." Erik whispered, craning his neck to look up at me. My smile fell a little, eyes darkening with more memories. These….I don't think I could share. I sighed and bent down to rest my elbows on either side of Erik's head, the flicks of his short hair tickling my ear.

"She was." I agreed, lacing my fingers together over the Viking's neck, his skin cool against my own. I didn't know if it was a left-over from when I was a God, or if it was just because I had so much raw Power rushing through my veins - but I ran noticeably hotter than a human. 

I could feel him swallow against my hands before relaxing into the touch I had caged him with. It occured to me then that it would be easy - too easy - for me to kill him like this. They both put too much trust in me for so little time. I didn't know whether to be grateful or on edge about such a fact.

Having seen their minds, such trust was not freely given, which served to soothe some of the anxiety. At least they were not naive enough to treat everyone they met like this. But still the thought lingered like a bad smell and I pressed my nose to the junction between Erik's neck and shoulder, hoping to stifle that smell with his scent. The Viking inhaled sharply and seemed to shiver before settling down again.

"I think my biggest mistake was introducing Man to Her." I said quietly into the mostly silent room, the television was still on but the volume was so low that not even my ears could accurately pick out all the words being spoken.

"Why's that?" Pam asked just as quietly, like she was afraid of breaking the sombre atmosphere that had descended upon us. I smiled bitterly.

"I was naive, I didn't know what humans were capable of at that point." I paused and then sighed, leaving my position to sit on the floor between Erik's legs. I folded my legs into the Lotus position I'd seen through flashes of the memories of others, finding it surprisingly comfortable. 

"I told you before that Humans invented the concept of Greed, yes?" They nodded and I rested my head on Erik's thigh and closed my eyes. I probably shouldn't be wasting time talking about this when I had a wife to vanquish, but I was comfortable for the first time in millenia and I wanted to be selfish. A few less human lights in the world did not honestly bother me.

"After that first meeting they used her as both a spear and shield, they blamed her for their own misdeeds, for the plague in their crops and the disease in their bodies." I said clearly, fists clenched in my lap as long stoked fury licked at the walls of my unbeating heart.   
  
"Yet they used Her as a rallying point!" I scoffed. "Slaughtering innocents in Her name so they would not be held accountable. They used the threat of Her to control the masses, many ended up cursing Her name." The anger immediately bled from me when Pamela, my little Dove, came over to sit next to me. She hesitated before tentatively uncurling one of my fists and lacing her fingers with mine. I smiled at her and kissed her temple. She really was a sweet child, I could see why the Viking has kept her around so long.

"It...hurt her immensely to see such things, diminished her already waning will until the time she slept became so long that I almost forgot what her voice sounded like." I said with some difficulty, before I felt a tug in my heart and my head snapped up, my lips parted in surprise.

"Akasha." I whispered, getting to my feet and speeding over to the balcony to throw open the doors. My companions hissed and I realised that the sun could be seen lighting the night sky. It would be daytime soon. I quickly shut the doors, plunging the living area into darkness when the thick curtains settled back into place. I had forgotten they were weak to the light of the Dying Star. I silently berated myself for being so careless.

"What happened?" The Viking asked as he stood beside Pam, a serious expression on his face. I had 'heard' a little of the Viking era and found myself wanting to see him in battle, see if he lived up to their prowess.

"I felt her, she's found the Frenchling."


End file.
